This invention relates to a mechanism for processing and transporting compact disks in a disk recording and dispensing system. The disk process and transport mechanism here comprises a disk copying and dispensing apparatus for a host system such as a compact disk vending machine.
Marketing of digital information has gone through many transformations, blending techniques common to the entertainment industry and the business software industry. Application software was frequently carried on a series of floppy disks and sold in boxes containing the disks and reference materials, such as user manuals. Some entertainment software, such as computer gameware, was similarly packaged, often with minimal written material on pamphlets. The bulky packaging of computer boxware is wasteful of resources, including the space required to transport and display such wares.
Similarly, music recordings were traditionally sold in albums having a sleeve or casing sized to the vinyl recording disk. When digitized recordings on compact disks were first marketed, the smaller compact disks were marketed in plastic jewel cases with elongated cardboard display backing, in part to utilize display racks and shelves designed for the larger vinyl albums. Only after consumer protest over the wasteful packaging techniques, were compact disks commonly marketed in cases without the wasteful cardboard extensions.
With the development of inexpensive laser recording devices for writing data to compact disks, it became possible to record digital data or digitized information onto a compact disk that became a permanent record. While subsequent developments permit compact disks to be rewritten, the write once read many times process for digitized compact disks is preferred by many content providers as an unalterable medium for sale to ultimate consumers.
The obvious advantage of recording compact disks at the place of purchase is the elimination of an inventory, since the content data or information can be stored in a memory or master disk and used as needed to generate a recorded copy on demand.
When copies are made on blank compact disks, only an inventory of disk blanks need be maintained for a variety of different content items. While this has the disadvantage of using an unidentifiable copy, this deficiency can be cured by inclusion of a label printer in the apparatus for printing content identifying labels on the printed disks. The label printer can be of any conventional type used for generating disk labels, such as ink jet printers or thermal transfer printers. Decorative graphic material can be included in the labels which are printed directly on a prepared surface of the disk.
It is an object of this invention to provide a versatile compact disk copying and dispensing apparatus that can be incorporated into a variety of different disk production devices. In particular, the apparatus of this invention is adapted to be utilized in a compact disk vending machine for dispensing disks to consumers upon selection and payment.
In a preferred embodiment, the disk copying and dispensing apparatus includes a printer wherein the copying feature includes copying digital data to the disk, and copying digitally stored label data on the disk as printed label.
In addition, the dispensing feature includes alternate mechanisms for issuance of the copied disk after purchase, including an activated ramp guide to a pickup bin and an extendible tray. The extendible tray is designed for customer removal of the conveyed disk or for automatic removal by a mechanical means, for example, for transport to another processing station. Such a station may comprise a packing station where the copied and printed disk is placed into a sleeve, cartridge, jewel case, envelope or other packing device before delivery to the customer.